Houston Sports Awards recognizes Luhnow

After building the Astros into World Series champions, general manager Jeff Luhnow has been named the Houston Sports Awards' Executive of the Year.

"This award represents the hard work and dedication of our entire baseball operations team," said Luhnow, who helped turn around the franchise after being named GM in 2011. "I am thankful for the support I have received from our owner and chairman Jim Crane, the entire Astros organization, and the city of Houston."

After building the Astros into World Series champions, general manager Jeff Luhnow has been named the Houston Sports Awards' Executive of the Year.

"This award represents the hard work and dedication of our entire baseball operations team," said Luhnow, who helped turn around the franchise after being named GM in 2011. "I am thankful for the support I have received from our owner and chairman Jim Crane, the entire Astros organization, and the city of Houston."

In six seasons under Luhnow's direction, the Astros went from back-to-back 100-loss seasons to 2017 World Series champions. Luhnow and the Astros stuck to their plan and transformed the team into a consistent contender with a mix of homegrown stars and proven veterans.

Luhnow will be honored at the inaugural Houston Sports Awards on Feb. 8.

Former Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander and Houston Texans All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt were also named award recipients. Alexander earned the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Watt has been honored with the Sportsmanship Award.

"The committee could not have selected three more deserving candidates because of what they have meant to their organizations as well as to the city of Houston," said John McClain, chairman of the Houston Sports Awards' selection committee. "These men are pillars of the community whose contributions to the fans and to the city have extended off the court and off the field because of their tireless work and extraordinary generosity."